Carrots, Carrots! Orange and Tasty!
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Do you like carrots? Do you use them regularly in your recipes, or have them for a midday snack? Maybe you like to chop them finely into salads, or julienne them and use them in your noodle base! Some like to steam them in broth until they are soft, or use them in their bone broth bases. Whatever you use them for, they are full of healthy beta carotene!
Here are some fun facts about carrots that you may find helpful!
*One Cup of raw carrots contains about 52 calories.
*Carrots are orange from beta carotene, and they contain roughly 16,000 IU of it.
*The longest carrot was over 18 feet, and the heaviest over 18.9 pounds!
*Carotenemia occurs when a person ingests too much beta carotene. This can cause a yellow-orange tint to the skin, especially in the palms of the hands, and soles of the feet.
*Carrots are 87% water.
*In 2004, carrots were the 7th most valuable crop in the United States.
*China is the world’s top producer of carrots, followed closely by Russia in second, and the United States in third.
*In 1607, the settlers of Jamestown introduced carrots to the world.
*Hippocrates created a broth recipe for good health consisting of carrots, celery, root parsley, and leeks.
*The Ancient Greeks called the carrot a philtron, which translates to “love charm.” They believed the carrot made both men and women more amorous.
JF
June 29, 2015
Teach Me Healthy Eating!carrots, celiac, GF4M, gluten free, gluten free for me, healthy eating, healthy food, Oh Forks, vegetables
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What if Gluten is as Bad as They Say?
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It’s amazing how many people still think the whole “gluten free” thing is a fad. Some sort of crazy behavior, or something that certain people do to be difficult. There was a point in our path down the gluten free road where I did question if being gluten free was really working, or doing anything at all. Not anymore. I’ve spent years learning about the effects of gluten, damage it can do to your body and brain, and how I can avoid it as much as possible. I live it every single day. So does my daughter.
People still argue with me when I tell them that gluten is an inflammatory protein that causes inflammation in any human when consumed. Some humans just tolerate the protein better than others, and some like myself, the inflammation causes a myriad of other issues that complicate the immune system, and weighs the body down. Quite literally.
So, what if, just what if….all of these “crazy gluten free freaks” are right? What if every time you’re indulging in that wheat bread, you’re really inflaming your gastrointestinal tract, and you don’t even know it? What if that pasta dish is silent creating holes in your stomach, intestines, and tricking your body into thinking that you’ve contracted a virus?
Maybe you’re wondering why tricking your body is a bad thing. You’re probably getting ready to talk about bio-identical hormones, and the like. Every time your immune system is turned on to react to an “unknown” agent, particle, germ, or what have you; it takes note of this new “foreign body” and attempts to remove it in a very non-ceremonious style.
This is something that’s become so important to me to remove from my children’s diets. I’m no doctor, but in the research I’ve done, the more of this gets pumped in over the years, (along with GMOs, preservatives, fillers, and toxins) the greater your risk of developing a full blown autoimmune disease, allergy to whatever the item is, or horrible reactions to anything “sort of like that” item you ate.
SO many books out there about this, but the best written, and easiest to read and follow (so far) is the new release by Dr. Amy Myers, The Autoimmune Solution. From the basics of gluten, to the complexities of why it reacts with certain bodies the way it does, plus lots of information on “the Myers Way,” this book is a must own!
Here’s the handy dandy Amazon link for you to check out Dr. Amy Myers The Autoimmune Solution book!
Even for me, the person who has read hundreds of books of Celiac’s disease, Scleroderma, Gluten Free eating/living/working/life, I still learned a mass amount of information from this book! The recipes included in it are fabulous, as well! Give it a try, it’s so worth it! Whether you’re suffering yourself, or a family member or friend is suffering- get this, and really read it for them! Have faith in healthy food, and hope that it can help heal your body
JF
February 9, 2015
Gluten In The NewsAmy Myers MD, auto immune disease, autoimmune, celiac, facts, GF4M, gluten, gluten free, gluten free for me, inflammatory, learning, the Myers Way, undigestible
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Hey, Surprise! There’s Gluten in Your Meds!
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I know. And I sort of hope you were sitting down before you read that. It happens less frequently now than it used to, but it does still happen. Whether it’s your prescription, or your favorite over-the-counter box of cold meds, if you’re super sensitive to gluten, you should probably call the company or check out GlutenFreeMeds.com to see if it’s on their list, at the least.
Maybe you’re wondering why there would be gluten in your medication? It’s simple, and sort of the same reason why there is gluten in spices, shampoo, lotions, and makeup. It’s a binding agent in many things. In this case, it helps make your pills stay together.
If any of the prescription or OTC medications you take have any of these ingredients, you may want to further your investigating skills and verify for the sake of your body.
- Wheat
- Modified starch (source not specified)
- Pregelatinized starch (source not specified)
- Pregelatinized modified starch (source not specified)
- Dextrates (source not specified)
- Dextrimaltose (when barley malt is used)
- Caramel coloring (when barley malt is used)
- Dextrin (source not specified, but usually by corn or potato)
Pharmacists face many dilemmas in the gluten-free world. There are no requirements for companies to label their medicines as “gluten free,” or just what they contain. In the same breath, all gluten sensitivities are different, and that 1 particle of gluten dust may not do much to Suzy, but it was enough to put Tom in the hospital. It is also true that medications don’t work the same way in a body without a gluten issue, as they do in a body that severely reacts to gluten. I just don’t feel it should be left up to the pharmacist to decipher, and I think that put them into a bad spot, as well.
More and more, we’re seeing the push to ban GMOs, and label things appropriately for allergens. I am hopeful that even more labeling will be approved to fully label prescriptions, shampoos, and anything else that is used by humans containing gluten. I’ve learned through my years of personal experience, and that of my child’s, that gluten, GMOs, and the harsh chemicals in our world ARE affecting our bodies, and creating internal disasters that no one knows how to deal with.
So, just a gentle reminder, fellow Celiac sufferers- CHECK YOUR MEDS!!
Resources Used:
GlutenFreeMeds.com- linked their gluten free med sheet
JF
January 14, 2015
Gluten In The Newsautoimmune, celiac, GF4M, gluten, gluten free for me, gluten free med list, gluten in medication, gluten meds, healthy eating, healthy living, no gluten, no wheat, paleo, safety first
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OH, Forks!! A Little Bit of Everything and All That’s Gluten Free ©2014
A Gluten Free Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! I hope you got everything your heart desired! We have had a fabulous Christmas, although completely different than what we’re all use to!
It’s hard to believe that it’s almost New Year’s! I’m running towards that ball drop faster than ever this year. So many great things happened this year, some of them with your help and backing! I’m so thankful to have had created my SECOND cook book, and have it come to print. Thankfully, so far, there have only been a few things I’ve noticed were omitted in printing! Otherwise, I still think it’s a pretty damn great book!
Let’s talk about editing. I’ve paid for editors that have done horrid jobs. I’ve earned free editing services by huge companies, just to get shafted in the end. Because of the wasted money (that won’t happen again) I’ve decided to do things “my way” until I get my base created. I’m sure by now you’ve seen that I’m #allaboutthatbase. (That’s a hashtag I use regularly on social media.) What’s my “base?” It’s the next few publications I’m working on. Don’t worry, the few things I found as “errors” will have a blog page dedicated to them. One is just oven temperature, and the other is temperature and cook time! Coming soon!
2015 will bring book signings, and taste testing’s in different areas of the county. I’m excited to spread the word of gluten free eating in a simple, laid back sort of way. I would love to have more open dialect about how difficult it truly is to live a gluten free lifestyle in today’s world. Even more so living the paleo lifestyle, with children.
Isn’t it interesting to know that no human can digest gluten? Gluten is made to be indigestible by us. Did you know that? Some people just have a strong enough system to tolerate it as it passes through. In any case, it is an inflammatory agent. Inflammatory agents DO interfere with your organs and body, just how depends on your immune system.
If you’re trying to go gluten free, you are gluten free, or you have thoughts on the topic, please feel free to inbox us, or comment! We hope your Christmas holiday was filled with love and traditions!!
Thanks for stopping by!!
JF
December 25, 2014
OH, Forks! A Little Bit of Everything and All That's Gluten Free Cook Book 20142015, autoimmune, celiac, flare, food porn, GF4M, gluten free, gluten free for me, new foods, no gluten, no grain, no wheat, Oh Forks, paleo, skye falcon, taste testing
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OH, Forks!! A Little Bit of Everything and All That’s Gluten Free ©2014
OH, FORKS!! Here Come the Holidays!! Holiday Packages and Big Order Discount Info Inside!
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By now you’ve surely heard that our new gluten free cook book, OH, Forks!! A Little Bit of Everything and All That’s Gluten Free is for sale!! Our cook books feature heavy, wipe-able pages (over 200 of them!) made from 100% recycled paper! We have pictures, simple directions, awesome nutrition labels, and an index that keeps everything fancy, and easy to find!
Ingredient flexibility! Our recipes are simple, and ingredients can be found at your normal grocery shopping locations. (We frequented Meijer, Kroger, WalMart. Now adding in Fresh Market, too.) For example, if you’re not gluten free, simply swap your tradition flour for the GF variety on the recipe. Or, if there’s a dairy cheese listed, swap to vegan cheese. No eggs? Egg free scrambles can be used, too. There are MANY ways to make these recipes dairy free, vegan, or geared around your allergy or autoimmune disease. Questions? Just inbox us, or send us a message on Facebook!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
For anyone interested in giving these fabulous cook book’s as gifts for the holidays, I will be offering a Holiday Package. For $35, the package includes one signed OH, Forks!! Cook book, 4 recipe cards, and one fridge magnet, wrapped, and shipped. (Or delivered, if you’re close.)
If you’re not interested in the package, but will need 4 or more cook books, please message me to find out about special discounts for bigger orders!!
And remember, proceeds from these book sales are going to Riley Children’s Hospital, and the Scleroderma Foundation!! Happy Holiday Season to You!!
JF
November 16, 2014
OH, Forks! A Little Bit of Everything and All That's Gluten Free Cook Book 2014autoimmune, autoimmune summit, celiac, cookbook, delicious, df, easy, food porn, free wrapping, gf, GF4M, gluten free cook book, gluten free for me, great deal, holiday deal, holiday package, nutrition labels, Oh Forks, skye falcon
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OH, FORKS!! A Little bit of Everything and All That’s Gluten Free Cook Book Is HERE!!
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I’m so excited to say, it’s here!! After years, and months of planning, fund finding, and correcting issues…I’ve finally gotten my hands on my first prints of the cook book, and they are selling, selling, selling! I even took my books to my first author event at our local library (Allen County Public Library) this past weekend. We were the ONLY gluten free cook book there, and we talked to many, many people about so many things related to gluten and dietary issues.
Many have asked about the formats of the books, and how you can buy them. I had hardbacks printed ONLY for backers, for now. Eventually, hardbacks will be available for anyone to buy, but they will be more than the coil books. The coil copies are available now, and weigh approximately 1.5 pounds each! For a book, that’s heavy! The pages are thick, 100% recycled materials, and are you can wipe them off if they have drips or spills! There are over 105 recipes, and over 200 pages.
To order these books, one would simply need to message either Gluten Free for Me via web page, or Facebook page, Author Skye Falcon via Facebook or web page email, or inbox my personal page, if you’re one of the few who can. (Insert raised eyebrow smiley face here) Coil copies are available for $30 each, plus tax and shipping if it needs shipped. One can pay via PayPal invoice which is emailed to you, Square marketplace (card reader), or by sending check or money order in the mail.
I am currently working on the e-book format of OH, FORKS!! And also a few smaller e-books that will be connected to the OH, FORKS!! Series of books. At this point, I am hopeful to have this done in the beginning of 2015. (I really, REALLY want and need to push a few hundred thousand words out to print, first. My poor, poor brain this past year….now things will settle, and my fingers will resume their typing fury.)
Print books should be available on Amazon soon, too. In the meantime, if you’ve gotten a copy of OH, FORKS!! Please send us your review! Share recipes made from the cook book with the hashtag #OHFORKS. Thank you SO MUCH for supporting me, and helping me out with the OH, FORKS campaign!
PS. Look for this blog to be back on track, and posting regularly again soon!!! Thank you for your patience!
JF
November 10, 2014
OH, Forks! A Little Bit of Everything and All That's Gluten Free Cook Book 2014ACPL, allergy, author, author events, autoimmune, celiac, coil, delicious, dietary, food porn, gluten free, gluten free for me, gtp, hardback, healthy eating, new, Oh Forks, Oh Forks a Little Bit of Everything and All Thats Gluten Free, organic does not mean gluten free, skye falcon, word porn
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Campaigns, Stress, and New Recipes…
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Funny thing about stress and me: when stress comes into my life, not like the serious heavy stress in the past month—but just the kind that keeps your brain going constantly—I create some of my BEST things. Whether it be with words, or food….the busier my brain, the more productive and crazy busy I get! (I think for some people it’s the opposite!)
With only 3 days to go on my campaign to get this awesome cook book printed, I’m pretty much a twitching, nervous wreck. When you want something soo bad you can taste it, and then see that you’re so far off….still…it’s just unspeakable. Regardless of how I have to do it, I will indeed get this cook book printed. I’ve gotten lots of questions why I don’t just sell to a publisher. Cook book publishing is difficult, and complicated. There are more than words, there are pictures, and recipes. Each things needs a copyright, making the work load quadruple. If I were to sell this cook book to a large publisher, I’d lose control of everything. The recipes would still be “mine,” but at the will of the agency who bought it. They would be in charge of setting price points, and no deals could be made any longer. Right now, I’m content in hanging on to my own rights on my work. Do I have bigger plans? Absolutely, and I’ve been quietly working on them for months. (Again, stress= mega work)
Even though I’ve been stressed, worried, bogged down, and taking care of my heart patient, I’m still pushing out new recipes. This crafty number I made last night. It’s my take on a Italian warm sub, crafted into a GF dough ring. I only had a bite or two, but arrived to the fridge this afternoon to find it GONE. So, I guess it’s safe to say it’s freaking delicious, like everything else!!! This would be a great party addition, and I can’t wait to make it for more of you!!
To close this windy post up on this rainy day, my hands are stained red, and my back is screaming the worst profanities you can imagine. While typing, I’ve been canning 9 dozen garden tomatoes. No way was I going to lose those babies! I’d ask that if you haven’t yet, you check out my campaign. If you can, please PLEASE pledge. I’m so thankful to each of my backers!!!
OH, Forks!! A Little Bit of Everything and All That’s Gluten Free KickStarter link
JF
August 11, 2014
OH, Forks! A Little Bit of Everything and All That's Gluten Free Cook Book 2014backing, celiac, funding, GF4M, gtp, gtpcookbook2014, healthy, need your help, no wheat, nutrition labels, Oh Forks, pictures, simple directions, skye falcon
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Sunflowers & Growing Dreams… and LOTS of Gratitude!
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By now, you’ve probably seen me post things about the KickStarter campaign for publishing funds for the cook book. Oh, Forks!! just needs a bit of help to get the first publications done on the first few hundred copies, and then, will be able to sustain its own sales!! Little did I know that taking the leap to put myself out there would result in 32% completion of my $4,000 goal, with 26 days to go!!
I’ve got to admit… I couldn’t have picked a worse, or more complicated time to release this cook book, and attempt to successfully complete this publication drive. I’m eyeball deep in 6 different things I’ve written to say in court on the 25th to hopefully help the judge understand how detrimental it is for that horrible man that stole my Grandma’s life, and give him the MAXIMUM sentence allowable. And I’m also past the point of worry for my daughter’s looming heart surgery at the end of the month. That said, I also love a good challenge, and this will give me something to work on, instead of pacing the hallways at Riley…
If you’ve already pledged, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you haven’t yet, please consider it. Depending on your pledge, you’ll get copies of my books, swag, signed cook books, or even recognition and a message inside of the cook book itself! The nutrition labels help keep track of those calories, for you counters out there, and the pictures will help you to see what it “should” look like. Each recipe has an “ingredient” section, and many have “simple directions,” to avoid all the extra fluff that sometimes happens with written recipes. There are many options for substitutions in a myriad of the recipes, and there are over 100 of those! The cook book sits now at just over 200 pages!!
So, again, please consider helping me out. This would be such a huge break for my family!! Every little bit helps! Share, Share, Share!! Spread the word!! I’ve already got book signings lined up, and many MANY pre-sales ready to go! I would just love the ability to have a book to hand to my customers for their payment….not take their cash, and do a monthly order! I appreciate every second of consideration you give this!!!
And, while all of that happens, my nervously excited-self took to the garden today, diving in with my husband, as I’ll not be seeing him much this week while he’s trapped at work. Thankful for his help on the weeds and such. Now to transition to preparing for the big Darling’s second week of camp…
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!!! PLEDGE! PLEDGE! PLEDGE!
JF
July 20, 2014
OH, Forks! A Little Bit of Everything and All That's Gluten Free Cook Book 2014allergy, backing, celiac, dont make me beg, first publication, funding, GF4M, gluten free, gluten free for me, help a girl out, jump start, kickstarter, Oh Forks, pledge, skye falcon
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Oh, How the Garden Grows…
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I love the growing, blooming, and blossoming parts of summer. I love that in May I can plant loads of seeds, and spend the next 4 months cultivating, nurturing, and growing the biggest bad-ass fruits and vegetables around! I love that I can lose myself for what seems like hours pulling weeds, staking plants up, and pruning. I love even more that I can then create recipes to that use these wonderful, organically grown foods, to share with you!
It’s not easy venture having a ginormous garden every year. This looks to be my last garden at our current residence, and honestly, I think that’s the ONLY part of this house I’ll truly miss!!! Ok, ok…the garden AND the view…. I know I’ll have lots of room to garden at the Compound, too, but still. I’m extremely proud of the garden this year, especially considering e v e r y t h i n g that has been going on. And everything that’s still coming this summer.
I’ve got big plans for gardens at the Compound, some that may include winter gardening. Oh, what? I’m rambling? And you’re wondering about the cook book, aren’t you? *Insert devious smile here* It’s getting SO close! In fact, right this moment, that’s what I SHOULD be working on!! HA!! I’m currently editing recipes, pulling pics and nutrition labels into the layouts. While this part isn’t terribly difficult, it’s EXTREMELY time consuming. It’s very close to ISBN time, and making this gluten free cook book official!!
Please spread the word about this cook book with your friends, family, whoever! Still going ahead with a certain amount of proceeds from this book benefitting the Scleroderma Foundation, as well! Will know how much once all the costs are determined for publishing and what not. Oh, the details! PLEASE REMEMBER to LIKE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, SHARE, RETWEET, REBLOG, BRAG ON, and even STALK US on Facebook! Twitter! Pinterest! EVERYWHERE!!!
PS. The cook book is called OH, Forks!! A Little Bit of Everything and All That’s Gluten Free!!
JF
June 28, 2014
OH, Forks! A Little Bit of Everything and All That's Gluten Free Cook Book 2014allergy, celiac, dairy free, easy recipe, Forks!, GF4M, gluten free, gluten free for me, goodtimes publications, gtp, gtpcookbook2014, Oh, something new
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GF4M: Nutrition Label Hell
Now that I’m officially on fire with this new nutrition label program, the perfectionism has stepped in. I think I’ve said before that novel writing is MUCH easier than cook book design! I’m still averaging about an hour per recipe in BOTH programs! Doing the math, that’s only equaled one recipe per night! DISLIKE! Because there HAS to be a better way, I’ve spent the last few days testing out new methods, new ways of creating the most output, with the least input? Bah. I’m losing my mind in calorie counts, and potassium percentages…
I love cooking. I love making super healthy, fresh ingredient food things. I also like to write books, and the stress of the cook book is making me get side-tracked on the novel!! No matter how hard I try to focus on one major project at a time, it never works out that way! I do better with more stress, and pressure, I think. As you can tell, this morning, I’m full of rambling words, well, anything to avoid doing nutrition labels this early in the morning! 🙂
As with my years of learning the gluten free eating style, of course, I’m nowhere near perfect. Sometimes it’s just….inevitable. And like in this YouTube movie….the pressures at times are just too great! Check out this short video, One More Grain by Michael Bihovsky, and get a good morning laugh!
Thanks again for your patience! It won’t be too much longer now!!! Skye Falcon’s Gluten Free for Me #1 will be completed soon! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for lots of new recipes, pictures, and more!
JF
June 10, 2014
OH, Forks! A Little Bit of Everything and All That's Gluten Free Cook Book 2014allergy, autoimmune, celiac, diet, fad, GF4M, gluten free, gluten free for me, gtpcookbook2014, no gluten, no wheat, not fad, skye falcon
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